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So, I really need to stop putting off getting a semi-pro camera for taking pictures for this here website thingy. My 8mp Camera phone is good, but not good enough. It's going to come out of C&G's budget and I might put up a donation screen for those who wish to help out.

Any of you Camera experts see anything promising in either of these lists?

The camera is well reviewed and has excellent image quality. But the price isn't anything special.

However, I think going the used route may be a better option for semi-pro stuff. I've taken high-speed, sports pictures with a 6.1MP Pentax DSLR from 2005 and the quality between it and my more modern Canon T1i is negligable. The money on the camera body can go towards good glass.

Under 400 shutter actuations, so it's barely used. It doesn't have a lens. But, you can find a nice multipurpose Canon or third-party (Tamron or Sigma) lens. Also, a macro lens that lets you take extreme 1:1 close-ups of dash materials, switchgear, detailing, stitching, etc. would be beneficial.

I am a Cannon fan, never liked the Nikon layout of controls. While the 60D is a solid semi-pro setup, I got for my son since he needed it for college, the last model version that this Cannon replaced and I have to say I am very impressed with the images and Costco has a great return policy if you end up not liking it.

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Not bad, although the 75-300 isn't the greatest lens. You're better off with the 50-250mm.

The T3 takes nice photos, but it's basic. Based on the price adjustments I've seen on the T4i, you might get a good deal on that model with the excellent 18-135mm lens that takes great shots and is optimal for capturing HD video

Essentially, the T1i has a much larger sensor, higher-res screen, shoots 1080 as opposed to the T3's 720 and slightly better image quality. Also, the sensor is self-cleaning, which is a neat little bonus.

I do own a T1i, and I will say that it can be a little noisy when it comes to shutter sound and auto-focusing. But that's nothing to be worried about. The HD video is 21fps which is a little weird, but it looks fine for even semi-pro use. Also, the LCD screen is fixed in place - some people like one that can pop out and rotate.